Flagship or Hovercraft?

Hey Neil,

I hope you're well.

I have been following your adventures this season through your facebook updates. Seems like you've had a great season so far!

Neil, I was wondering if you have any advice on getting a new board for piste and freeriding? I have my eyes on the end of the season sale to potentially get a Jones Flagship or a Hovercraft.

I have seen your very positive feedback on the Hovercraft, but surely it doesn't hanlde as well as the Flagship on piste or hard-packed icy snow, does it?

Thanks a lot Neil,

Hopefully see you next year!

Xavier


Hi Xavier,

The Hovercraft is a great carving and piste board as well as an amazing powder board but it can't be ridden switch so isn't quite as versatile as the Flagship. The Flagship is the best freeride board I've ridden, the Hovercraft is probably the most fun board I've ridden. It's a difficult choice, either get them both or just the flagship!

Neil.

Backpacks?

Hi Neil

Sounds like you're having a great season. Loving the Go Pro footage. I've just ordered one myself and will be bringing it to Norway.

I'm after a bit of advice about backpacks. I'm looking for a new 35L pack and had a look at the Ortovox Haute Route 35. However, the lower side straps are non-adjustable and according to the specs are too small to take the tail of a Solution in split mode. I guess they've been designed only with conventional skis in mind. Otherwise it looks like a really nice pack. Do you know if there is a way around this for when you may wish to carry the board in split mode? Or maybe you could recommend another good 35L pack?

Cheers


Simon Tuffen



Hi Simon,

You can put the splitboard across the Ortovox pack as a pair of skis.I prefer to put them on the side but this is a good pack and for the few times you need to carry your board as skis this works fine. I would however recommend the 45 ltr haute route pack over the 35L. It isn't much bigger on your back but fits your kit in a lot easier than the 35l.

Neil.

New Board/bindings and training regime?

Dear Neil,

I came on your tech course 3/4 seasons ago and following that completed BASI level 1 Since then steadily trying to progress and push my riding etc. I would be really grateful if you could give me your thoughts on the following :-

1. Need to replace my board and bindings after 3 years. I was Riding Super Model X trad camber (now obsolete) and Salomon relay XLT's. Looking for an All Mountain board. I borrowed a TRice last season and just could not get on with its hybrid camber at all. Any thoughts on board and bindings to aid progression would be much appreciated.

2. Any specific Gym work to help improve riding ? I am doing mostly compound exercises and climbing once a week but I just wondered if there was anything specific you have found good over the years ? I know you are super busy so no sweat if you take a pass.

Best wishes and hope to see you for split boarding course asap,

Matt


Hi Matt,

For an all round board the Jones Mtn Twin is great, easy to ride and fun to play around on. For a more serious ride, the Jones Flagship takes freeriding to the next level.

For bindings I've not found anything that beats the Burton Cartel and would recommend them to anyone.

Gym work – I work on leg power with free weight squats and Dead lifts, power lunges and lots of cycling.


I try to work out 4 times a week when I am riding during the winter, either an hour on the bike or half an hour if doing the weights.

Hope this helps?

Neil.

Which board - Short or long?

Hi Neil,

Hope you are good and your happy with the snow for the first guests. Although, you are in Les Deux Alps, for this week according to Tosh. Good?

I am at a loss about split-board length. I have the option of a trice 61.5 or 64.5. Who like to quibble over a couple of cm's, hey?

I like to jib in the pow, but will have a heavier pack for touring. My normal powder board is a trice 61 and great for everything but the deepest pow.

My weight is 74kg / 163pounds and the min weight for the boards is 130+ pounds and 140+ pounds (not that this is that relevant).

Would you have any wise thoughts about which to go for? Obviously, longer would be better for the hikes.

Many thanks.

I owe you one extra thick hot chocolate at Carlo's. Or a hot Grappa if you prefer.

Tim

Hi Tim,

Over In Tignes at the moment not L2Alpes (Tosh never was very good at directions/places etc).

You pretty much answered this yourself! ’Longer would be better for hikes’ but I’d also add ‘also better for Freeriding’!!!

A Splitboard will always ride slightly softer than a normal board due to it being cut in half! The softer flex makes them easier to flex into the turn and easier to bend for a shorter radius turn even with a slightly longer board length.

The extra weight added by a touring pack will also make a big difference, so I’d say go for the longer option.

There’s a bit of a Myth about long boards being harder to turn and play about on, today with rocker tip and tails and boards designed for specific things a longer freeride board (with Cam rock, such as the Flagship and the power banana/Libs) can offer you the same manouverability as a short board with the added edge stability of a long board.

Hope this helps!

Neil.
 

Splitboard equipment?

Hi,

hope all's well.

I'm looking to get a split setup for the course in feb, this is what I'm after;

Jones solution 163w
Spark blaze bindings
Spark mr chomps crampon
Black diamond expedition poles
Black diamond glidelite mix sts 140mm skins

If there are any items that you would recommend (or anything i've missed out) (do i need an additional mounting system for the bindings?) instead of the items listed above then I'd be very keen to hear any alternatives.


Thank you!

Best

James

Hi James,

Your list looks good but check out the Black Diamond ‘distance trekking pole’ as an alternative to the exped pole. This is a lightweight collapse-able pole that fits easily into your pack.

You’ll need the Voile mounting system for the bindings. This will give you the plastic pucks that the bindings slide onto plus the heel raiser and touring bracket.

Spark do a light weight touring bracket and touring pin system ‘LT pin system’ which reduces the weight of your set up and adds a nice finish.

Also check out the Karakoram Splitboard binding system! I haven’t tried these bindings yet but by all accounts they are very good and work on a new system.

Neil. 

Solution or Flagship?

Hi,

Ref the Jones board, I'm now thinking of buying the Solution 163w instead of the Flagship! Ride it this year with my normal Bindings (Burton Cartel) and then next season get some split bindings, skins etc. Could you give me some feed back on riding a solution as a normal board, would there be much change in performance between the two boards?


Thanks,
Jon.

Hi Jon,

The Flagship and the Solution are based on the same model. The Solution though does compromise some performance due to it being a Splitboard, this also adds some weight to it which is noticeable when you’re riding but is something you’ll probably get used to pretty quickly. The Flagship is an amazing board in all terrain and for all riding, it is very playful and versatile where as the Solution, although the same model, is more specific to what it is designed for (in that you wouldn’t take it into the park or ‘play’ around on it around the resort too much). I’d say both boards are great but they do what they are designed to do, so the Flagship does everything where as the Solution is a pure BC Freeride board that copes with everything.

One of the biggest compromises with the Solution or any splitboard for that matter comes from the bindings or from using your own bindings! With a well adjusted splitboard specific binding, I’d say you can get close to between 80 or 90% workability out of the Solution. With a normal binding mounted on a Voile mounting plate I’d say this drops down to below 60% with too much movement, a raised up feeling giving balance issues and a complete loss of feeling for the board and the edge.

If you want to tour and this is your priority then get the Solution, but also get the bindings and skins to go with it. If you’re looking for something to ride and don’t want to tour until next season get the Flagship now and the Solution when you feel the need.

At the end of the day its your decision and based on what you can afford etc. but my advice would be if you get the Solution ‘then also get the specific bindings’ or get the Flagship for now.


Hope this helps!

Neil. 

Airbag backpacks. Yes or No?

Hi Neil,

I've been looking at kit for this season and something that keeps nagging at me is why I haven't yet looked seriously at an airbag system. There's an awful lot of comment on the internet  and it looks like ABS and Snowpulse systems both have their merits, however the real decision seems to be buy one of the bags rather than than which system.

Do you have any thoughts on the use of airbags? If i remember correctly you have an ABS bag, but I don't think you ride with it all the time.

Cheers,
Liam

Hi Liam,

I got to the point where I was thinking that I should have an airbag
system, the only thing stopping me was the price. At the end of the day it
could be a life saving piece of equipment so the cost is kind of
irrelevant!

I had lots of reasons for getting one and none against so it wasn't really
an issue in the end. I thought, if I'm thinking about getting one, then I
should just get one. The day you're out there and happy to have it on will
make it well worth it avalanche or no avalanche.

At the end of the day, I still take all the precautions that I'd take when
riding with out it. I plan on never needing it, but its kind of nice to
know its there.

Whether they work or not in the time of need, who knows? But its one more
thing that might put the odds in your favour and that's all I need to know.

I don't ride with mine all the time, they're pretty heavy for daily use
but if there's any kind of avalanche risk then it's my first choice pack
for sure.

Snow pulse seems to be a good system with the airbags coming up around
your neck. They are also now starting to have well designed zip on volumes
for their base rig.

ABS is tried and tested and I prefer the handle on the ABS system.

Both work on the same principle so look at both and see which you prefer.

If you're asking me this question then you should just get one!

Neil.